In Savoonga’s realm, where ice once reigned,
Whispers weave a haunting tale, an Arctic refrain.
“No sea ice this year,” the villagers cried,
Their ancestral Yupik traditions, in climate’s grip, denied.
Savoonga’s heartbeat, a subsistence song,
Yet this year, the sea ice is gone.
Siberian Yupik, whispers on the wind,
A tale of struggle, of a way of life, like ice, now thinned.
Sea ice, a cradle for whales and walrus galore,
For thousands of years, now lost, and less abundant than before.
Elders speak of walrus on the ice,
Whales, seals, seabirds, a hunter’s paradise.
But the climate shifts, the ice gives way,
A changing world, a price to pay.
Savoonga’s heartbeat, a subsistence song,
Yet this year, the sea ice is gone.
Seabirds, once guided by the ice’s calm,
Now search in iceless waters, a chaotic realm.
No icy lid to calm the ocean’s swell gone astray,
Foraging becomes a desperate, uncertain ballet.
Plankton pushed to depths unknown,
Auklets hunger, few eggs are sown.
Seas once neatly stratified, now in swirling disarray,
A shifting world, where uncertainty holds sway.
Savoonga’s heartbeat, a subsistence song,
Yet this year, the sea ice is gone.
No walrus on ice, a dire decree,
Savoonga weeps, the Walrus Capital in the Bering Sea.
Thin ice, unable to cradle and bear,
Mighty marine mammals of the deep, adrift, caught in a watery lair.
Beached and weary, a tragic sight,
Relentlessly they swim, day and night.
Marine life seeks a changing tide,
A dance of survival, no place to hide.
Savoonga’s heartbeat, a subsistence song,
Yet this year, the sea ice is gone.
Whispers of whales and seals now fade,
A dance with Arctic sea ice, an ancient Yupik trade.
But ice has vanished, a ghost of the past,
Leaving hunters and whales in a dance miscast.
Human rights entwined in the icy plight,
A new battle for self-determination takes flight.
Water, food, culture, all rights now strained,
Yet a chance to salvage, an Arctic world to reclaim.
Savoonga’s heartbeat, a subsistence song,
Yet this year, the sea ice is gone.
The Paris Agreement, a plea for the Earth,
To mitigate causes, to prove the policy’s worth.
A Precautionary Principle, a call to heed,
To act now in our hour of need.
In Savoonga, where ice once stood tall,
The tipping point has cast its thrall.
The village has passed a critical line,
Nature’s plea, a desperate sign.
Yet, discussions linger in corridors,
As if the truth needs more time to explore.
Iceless waters, a stark reality,
Yet skeptics question, and defy the urgency.
In the heart of Savoonga, the truth is clear,
Change is already here, with impacts severe.
The UN echoes, climate migration’s underway,
Human rights must lead, our resolve cannot sway.
As Savoonga laments, its sea ice gone,
The Arctic weeps, a dirge for the dawn.
In the Arctic’s heart, a plea resounds,
For organized action, on hallowed grounds.
Build capacity, educate the young,
In the dance of climate, songs unsung.
Human rights and climate intertwined,
Mitigate the causes, curb the flame,
A chance to salvage, a world to reclaim,
A future secure, for all humankind.
Savoonga’s heartbeat, a subsistence song,
Yet this year, the sea ice is gone.
Glossary:
The following terms appear throughout the poem above.
They’ve been defined below for ease of access when reading.
Auklets:
A variety of seabirds known for their ability to dive underwater in search of food, typically found along coastal regions, nesting on cliffsides or under rocks. The particular ones in mind here are Crested Auklets and Least Auklets. Synonyms: avian marine species
Foraging:
The act of searching for and gathering food, often associated with animals seeking sustenance in their natural habitats. Synonyms: scavenging, hunting and gathering.
Paris Agreement:
A legally binding international treaty aimed at combating climate change by encouraging countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of global warming. Agreed upon in 2015. Synonyms: climate accord, multinational pact.
Precautionary Principle:
A guiding principle suggesting that action should be taken to prevent harm, even without scientific certainty, to mitigate potential risks and protect both the environment and public health. Synonyms: preventive approach, risk-averse principle.
Savoonga:
A remote Siberian Yupik village situated on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, in the Bering Sea, characterized by its unique cultural heritage and traditional lifestyle,which is particularly reliant on marine resources. It’s actually closer to Russia than it is to the US! Synonyms: Yupik village, indigenous settlement.
Sea Ice:
Frozen seawater that forms and floats on the surface of the ocean in polar regions and other cold climates, playing a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate, food webs, and ecosystems. Synonyms: polar ice, marine ice.
Subsistence:
The practice of obtaining the bare necessities for survival, such as food, water, and shelter, often through hunting, fishing, and gathering. Subsistence lifestyle in Savoonga relies largely upon walrus, whale, seals, fish, seabirds, and reindeer. Synonyms: basic sustenance, livelihood.
Siberian Yupik:
Indigenous peoples inhabiting regions of Alaska, Siberia, and the Russian Far East, known for their rich cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and close relationship with the Arctic environment. Synonyms: Native Alaskan group, Arctic indigenous community.
Thrall: (the tipping point has “cast its thrall”)
Refers to a spell or control, indicating that the tipping point has had a powerful impact, perhaps leading to irreversible consequences or a shift in the state of existence. Synonyms: influence, authority, dominion.
Tipping Point:
The critical threshold at which a minor change can lead to a significant and often irreversible outcome, marking a pivotal moment of transformation or escalation. Synonyms: critical juncture, decisive turning point.
This poem was inspired by an NSF funded PolarTREC experience.
Wendi Pillars, NBCT and military veteran with nearly three decades of experience teaching diverse learners worldwide, passionately advocates for expanding scientific curiosity and language as tools of progress and diplomacy. She champions environmental sustainability as an author, artist, speaker, and advocate for teacher and student leadership. Wendi is driven by a passion for expanding possibilities and an urgency to empower students through education to tackle the challenges of our changing climate. Connect with her on Twitter @wendi322.
The post “There was no sea ice this year” appeared first on Climate Generation.
Climate Change
Greenpeace delivers 47 metre-long petition with half a million signatures to Woodside HQ following major gas protest
Greenpeace delivers 47 metre-long petition with half a million signatures to Woodside HQ following major gas protest
PERTH, Monday 19 October 2026 — Dozens of Perth community members delivered a giant petition, signed by almost half a million people, to Woodside’s corporate headquarters this morning, calling on the government to save Scott Reef from Woodside’s reckless Browse gas proposal.
Dressed in sea creature costumes and hats, supporters carried one of Australia’s biggest environmental petitions to Woodside’s headquarters, and a local choir performed a ‘Scott Reef’ rendition of Angie McMahon’s iconic cover of ‘Reckless’ by Australian Crawl.
On the sidelines of the Perth Global Citizen Now event, it comes following a two day-long protest at Woodside’s Scarborough gas platform that saw activists scale and occupy the Floating Production Unit calling to “Stop Woodside’s Dirty Gas” and “Save Scott Reef”. The activists were taken from the platform by police helicopter on Sunday afternoon.
David Ritter, CEO at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “Less than a day after two Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists were arrested for their peaceful protest at Woodside’s Scarborough gas platform to save Scott Reef, we are here again with another message to Woodside: half a million of us do not want your dirty gas at Scott Reef.
“Community pressure on Woodside is rising. Today we are here to show Woodside that they can’t ignore half a million people who want Scott Reef protected, not turned into an industrialised gas zone.
“Woodside can’t be trusted with our oceans. Woodside’s plans to drill up to 57 toxic wells at Scott Reef, Australia’s largest oceanic reef, putting endangered pygmy blue whales at risk, and jeopardising a nesting ground for unique green sea turtles.
“We Australians love our oceans and this is an opportunity for our governments to do the right thing, to reject Woodside’s reckless drilling plans, and save Scott Reef.”
-ENDS-
Media contact
Kate O’Callaghan on +61 406 231 892 or Emma Sangalli on +61 431 513 465
Climate Change
Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists in police custody after two-day protest against Woodside’s Browse gas project at Scott Reef
PERTH, Sunday 18 October 2026 — Two Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists are in police custody after occupying a gas platform at Woodside’s Scarborough gas project, in peaceful protest of the fossil fuel corporation’s plans to drill for oil and gas at Scott Reef.
NEW footage and photos of the peaceful protest available here and on Instagram
The activists used specialised climbing equipment to scale and attach themselves to a Floating Production Unit (FPU), a key piece of gas processing infrastructure at the Scarborough gas field over 200km off the coast of Exmouth, at around 05:45am AWST on Saturday and proceeded to occupy the platform for two days, displaying banners reading “Stop Woodside’s Dirty Gas. Save Scott Reef.”
Special police forces landed a helicopter on the FPU at around 11:30am AWST. The activists safely removed themselves from their equipment before being taken into police custody around 1:00pm AWST. At the time of writing, no charges have been laid.
David Ritter, CEO at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “It takes guts and conviction to do what our activists have done, peacefully protesting Woodside’s reckless gas plans at Scott Reef.
“Woodside’s plans to drill up to 57 toxic wells at Scott Reef are outrageous. If allowed to go ahead Woodside would turn Scott Reef, Australia’s largest oceanic reef, home to nesting green sea turtles and elusive pygmy blue whales, into an industrial gas zone. Around half a million people have called on our governments to stop Woodside and to save Scott Reef.
“Our activists are highly trained and experienced in these activities. West Australia has a proud history of peaceful, democratic protest at sea, to protect our oceans from environmental threats. From whaling in Albany in the seventies, to Woodside’s threat to Scott Reef today, there’s more than fifty years of history, of Greenpeace taking action off WA’s coast to protect the places we love.
“Peaceful protest has long been part of what has given us so many of the things that are great about Australia and is part of the fabric of our democracy and our national identity.”
“The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to a healthy democracy. From Australia to the Arctic and the Amazon, Greenpeace has been peacefully protesting for more than 50 years to expose the biggest environmental threats around the world. We will not be silenced by corporations like Woodside who actively try to stop everyday people from speaking out against their reckless plans.
“Woodside’s reckless proposal to drill at Scott Reef is an unacceptable risk to Scott Reef and to the climate, which our government should emphatically reject.”
Speaking from the Rainbow Warrior, Captain of the Rainbow Warrior Hettie Geenen, said:
“It felt powerful watching from the Rainbow Warrior as these brave activists scaled Woodside’s enormous and imposing gas infrastructure, which has no place at Scott Reef. We are all out here because we feel an urge to act, in the face of Woodside’s grave threat to Scott Reef and to our climate. Now we ask for the Australian government to act too, and reject Woodside’s reckless Browse project.
“Just before this peaceful protest, the Rainbow Warrior sailed to Scott Reef, where our whole crew got to witness the magic of an untouched, healthy reef ecosystem full of marine life. It was my second time visiting Scott Reef with the Rainbow Warrior. When you see Scott Reef up close and witness its magic first hand, it is impossible not to feel driven to try and protect it.”
The activists sailed to Scarborough on the Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace’s flagship vessel, which is in the region campaigning to protect Australia’s oceans, including Scott Reef.
-ENDS-
Media contact
Greenpeace Australia Pacific media team in Perth on +61 406 231 892 or +61 407 581 404 or email media.au@greenpeace.org
Climate Change
GREENPEACE GAS PROTEST DAY TWO: Activists spend first night on Woodside’s Scarborough gas platform, “in this for the long haul”
- NEW footage and photos available here and on Instagram – more being uploaded today.
- Interviews available with campaigners on board the Rainbow Warrior on request.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists have slept overnight on Woodside’s Floating Production Unit and dropped a massive 12×14-metre banner reading “Stop Woodside’s Dirty Gas. Save Scott Reef”.
Two activists have set up temporary hanging tents on the South East pillar, while the other two returned to the Rainbow Warrior late yesterday afternoon, after fulfilling their initial role. The activists will occupy the platform for as long as possible.
The environmental advocacy group is peacefully protesting Woodside’s plans to drill for oil and gas at Scott Reef as part of its Browse proposal.
Sakyo Noda, one of the Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists, said: “As a Japanese person living in Australia, I feel incredibly passionate about stopping Australia’s gas exports to Asia.
“Despite what the gas industry tells us, Australia’s gas is not helping to decarbonise Asia. It is simply not true. We shouldn’t be allowing fossil fuel companies like Woodside to extract new fossil fuels, let alone at extraordinary places like Scott Reef”.
Aboard the Rainbow Warrior, Geoff Bice, WA Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, added, “Everyone is in good spirits. We’re in it for the long haul.”
Links:
Photos and video of Scott Reef here
Audio and footage of yesterday’s press conference here
Content and live updates will be uploaded to a live blog and Instagram
In-person interviews in Perth with David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, can be organised. Dial-in, SimSat and Zoom interviews with Geoff Bice, WA Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, currently aboard the Rainbow Warrior, can be organised.
Greenpeace delivers 47 metre-long petition with half a million signatures to Woodside HQ following major gas protest
Dictators
Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists in police custody after two-day protest against Woodside’s Browse gas project at Scott Reef
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